Clotted Cream

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If you’ve had afternoon tea in England, you’ve most likely had clotted cream with your warm scone. This rich and decadent cream is a must with some strawberry jam on a scone!

Clotted cream on scone with raspberry jam.

I have made clotted cream several times in the past, as I always have an English Tea party for any big event involving the British royal family.

There is nothing more luxurious than clotted cream on a scone! The problem is that it’s very difficult, not to mention expensive, to find clotted cream in the United States. But, while it does take some planning and time, making clotted cream isn’t difficult at all. It’s actually fairly hands-off.

homemade clotted cream.

What Is Clotted Cream?

Traditional clotted cream is made from rich, unpasteurized, full cream cow’s milk. It’s heated at a very low temperature until the cream rises to the top and then clots or “clouts”.

The thick skin is scraped off the top and the liquid under is poured off. The resulting thick cream has a texture similar to creme fraiche or mascarpone.

Clotted cream is mainly produced in the Southwest of England in Devon or Cornwall. In the past, a farmer would place a pan of cream in the Aga and let it sit overnight. We can make a reasonable facsimile using our modern ovens.

Afternoon tea with two scones, clotted cream, and jam on plates.

Cornish Clotted Cream is a Protected Product

Cornish clotted cream is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) under the European Union. I’ve written about protected products before like San Marzano tomatoes and Prosciutto which are also protected.

The European Union and the United Kingdom do a good job protecting regional products to ensure their high quality.

To receive the designation, Cornish clotted cream must be made from milk produced in Cornwall and must have a minimum butterfat content of 55%. If it’s produced outside of Cornwall, it can be called clotted cream, but cannot carry the PDO label.

What Does Clotted Cream Taste Like?

This rich clotted cream recipe has a sweet, slightly nutty flavor, and a creamy texture that’s thicker than whipped cream, and thinner than cream cheese. Depending on the cream you use, the resulting clotted cream will be a lovely ivory color.

Clotted cream in a dish.

What Kind of Cream Should Be Used To Make Clotted Cream?

Traditional clotted cream recipes are made with unpasteurized milk, which can be difficult to find in the US. Most milk or cream products produced in the US are ultra-pasteurized.

Two types of cream - heavy whipping cream, and organic whipping cream, side by side.

While ultra-pasteurized cream won’t work for this recipe, it’s not impossible to find minimally processed cream.

I found several varieties at Whole Foods and Sprouts. Your favorite large grocery store should have minimally processed heavy cream as well. I used Strauss heavy cream.

Straus heavy whipping cream bottle

The Different Types of Cream

What a wonderful product milk is! From milk we get so many delicious dairy products; cheeses, cream cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, and of course cream. Let’s focus on cream and fat content.

  • Half and half has between 10.5% and 18% milk fat
  • Light cream must have a minimum of 18% to 30%
  • Whipping cream has between 30% and 36% milk fat
  • Heavy whipping cream must have no less than 36% milk fat
  • Double cream is 48% milk fat
  • Cornish cream or Devon cream has a high fat content of 55%

For this recipe, I use non-pasteurized heavy whipping cream.

How I Learned To Make Clotted Cream

While researching how to make clotted cream, I found an old English cookbook I had bought in London in the early 1980s. Your Country Kitchen, by Jocasta Innes, is a great resource for those who like to do things from scratch, like making butter, cheese, bread, and jam. There is an entire section on dairy, which is where I found this recipe for clotted cream.

Cream in white ramekin with two scones in background.

Your Country Kitchen has two separate methods for making clotted cream. The first method Innes offers is the “quick method”. This method also uses a water bath, in the form of a double boiler.

Because I wanted to make sure that the temperature of the cream never boiled or rose above 195 degrees F., I used a candy thermometer and checked occasionally, adjusting the temperature if necessary.

two methods of making clotted cream. double boiler and baking dish with cream.

The second method I tried was on the stovetop. For this method, Innes instructs to pour the cream into an earthenware bowl or baking dish, in a bain-marie, until the cream looks wrinkly and crusty.

double boiler method to make clotted cream

The stovetop method was quicker but required more attention. The results were less than satisfactory as the final product resulted in too much leftover liquid.

Leftover liquid from clotted cream on a spoon.

How To Make Clotted Cream

Unfortunately, there is no “quick” recipe for clotted cream. Allow yourself 24 hours for best results.

Heat oven to 180-185 degrees F. If you aren’t sure if your oven’s temperature is accurate, buy an oven thermometer and place it in the middle of the oven.

Pour cream into a shallow baking dish. The cream should be no higher than 1-1 1/2″.

Place the baking dish inside of a larger dish and fill the outside dish with hot water about 1/2 way up the sides of the baking dish.

Place the baking dishes in the oven and leave them undisturbed for 12 hours. I put it in the evening, so it will be done by the next morning.

After 12 hours, the top of the cream will be golden and crusty. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on the countertop for another hour, undisturbed.

clotted cream with skin.

Remove the baking dish from the bain-marie and place the clotted cream in the refrigerator to continue curing.

After 8-12 hours, carefully scrape off the thick crust. Place it in a dish, reserving the remaining liquid.

Scraping the clout off the top of the cream

Mix the “clout” well, so that the crusty parts are incorporated. If necessary, add any remaining liquid to the clotted cream until it’s spreadable.

Pack the clotted cream into containers, and store it in the refrigerator. It can store well for a week to 10 days.

Clotted cream in a ramekin dish

The Great Debate! Clotted Cream On Top or Bottom?

Clotted cream, a staple served with scones for afternoon tea in England, goes by different names depending on its region of production: Devonshire cream, Cornish cream, or simply clotted cream.

There is a fierce debate between Devon and Cornwall over the “correct” way to enjoy clotted cream with scones.

In Devon, they spread the cream first, followed by the jam. Whereas Cornwall insists that the jam goes on first.

There is no right or wrong method. The Queen prefers her scones with jam first, followed by clotted cream.

two scones with jam and clotted cream on a plate.

In any case, is there anything better than a pot of tea with fresh scones and clotted cream? English Tea Scones go perfectly with the cream, and if you’re feeling ambitious, I recommend trying this homemade French Apricot Lavender Jam recipe.

Tips For Making Clotted Cream

First, make sure to plan for 24 hours from start to finish for this clotted cream recipe. This is closest to the traditional method.

You’ll need 12 hours for the cream in the oven, and another 10 in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly if you don’t have a double oven.

Starting the cream at 8 pm and letting it bake all night works well, as long as your oven doesn’t have a safety feature that turns it off after a certain point. Refrigerate the cream the next day, and it will be ready for afternoon tea!

Do not use ultra-pasteurized heavy cream. The best option is organic heavy cream, or unpasteurized cream from a local dairy, if you can find it.

If you’re unsure of your oven, use an oven thermometer. It should not rise about 190 F.

Pour the heavy cream into a shallow baking dish. You want as much surface area as possible, so no more than 1 1/2″ deep.

Save the excess liquid to mix back into the “clout” if it’s too thick, and store the cream in small pots or mason jars for up to a week.

tea scones with jam and cream.

Clotted Cream

Cynthia
This clotted cream is perfect on warm tea scones with jam!
5 from 45 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
chill 8 hours
Course Afternoon Tea,
Cuisine British
Servings 10 servings
Calories 161 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream (NOT ultra-pasteurized)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees F.
  • Pour heavy cream into an 8" by 8" baking dish or something similar.
  • Place baking dish into a larger 13" by 9" inch dish and fill outer dish with hot water about 1/2 way up sides.
  • Place baking dish in the center of the oven, uncovered and bake for 10-12 hours. Cream will have a dark golden skin and appear wrinkled.
  • Remove baking dish from the oven and allow to cool about 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator for an additional 8 hours undisturbed.
  • Remove baking dish from the refrigerator. Carefully scrape the top layer of the cream or "clout" off the top and place in a mixing bowl. There will be some liquid left. Reserve it to thin the cream if necessary.
  • Mix the cream so that the yellow crusty parts mix in with the white cream and add any reserved liquid to the clotted cream to achieve a spreadable consistency.
  • Pack clotted cream in small ramekins or a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

    • Plan on 24 hours from start to finish for this clotted cream recipe. This is closest to the traditional method.
    • You’ll need 12 hours for the cream in the oven and another 10 in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly if you don’t have a double oven.
    • Starting the cream at 8 pm and letting it bake all night works well as long as your oven doesn’t have a safety feature which turns it off after a certain point.
    • Refrigerate the next day and it will be ready for afternoon tea!
    • Do not use ultra-pasteurized heavy cream
    • The best option is organic heavy cream or unpasteurized cream from a local dairy farm if you can find it.
    • If you’re unsure of your oven, use an oven thermometer. It should not rise above 190 F.
    • Pour the heavy cream in a shallow baking dish. You want as much surface area as possible, so no more than a 1 1/2″ deep.
    • Save the excess liquid to mix back into the “clout” if it’s too thick.
    • Store clotted cream in small pots or mason jars for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 13mgPotassium: 45mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 696IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 0.05mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    What a great post! So informative and with excellent instructions for making clotted cream. I’m looking forward to giving this a go.

  2. 5 stars
    I live in Cornwall where clotted cream originates! My granny used to make it every Sunday morning on the stove with gold top milk! So good on scones!

  3. 5 stars
    Definitely quite the rich and decadent cream! Fantastic for pairing with scones. I love the details you added and which type of heavy cream to use to help make it perfect.

  4. 5 stars
    Being from the UK, I miss it so much! Thanks for reminding me that I can make it! So good with scones and a cuppa!

  5. 5 stars
    I hope you find this advice to be helpful. Please contact us if you require any additional assistance.

5 from 45 votes (37 ratings without comment)

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